Thomas hawthoene



STATES Arent erica.

THOMAS HAWTHORNE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO DUDSON,HAWTHORNE 8v BROTHERS, OF SAME PLAGE.

l/iPPiOVEMENT IN CIRCULAR-KNITTING iv/lACt'dllitlES.Y

To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, THOMAS HAWTHORNE, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,have invented certain Improvements in Circular-Knitting Machines; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to improvements in a class of rotaryknitting-machines which have been recently introduced in England, and inwhich are used vibrating levers radially arranged, and each having aself-acting needle, the said levers permitting a greater number ofthreads to be used than in ordinary circular-knitting machines.

My invention consists, rst, in a device, described hereinafter, foroperating tIe said lever; and, secondly, in the use, in combination withthe said levers, of serrated presserwheels, for producing variegatedfabrics.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to make and use myinvention, I will now proceed to describe its construction andoperation.

On reference to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of thisspecification, Figure l is a sectional elevation of sufficient of acircular-knitting machine to illustrate my improvements 5 Fig. 2, a planview of Fig. 1, and Figs. 3 and 4 detached views of part of the machine.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in all the views.

A is a section of a stationary circular plate, of which the pin a is thecenter, the outer edge of this plate consisting of an annularprojection, B, in which are cut a series of radial grooves for thereception of levers C, each of the latter being hung at its outer end toa rod, e, which surrounds and is confined to the annular projection B ofthe stationary plate A. Every lever has a slot, rv, so formed that eachlever can be detached from the rod e without removing the lat-ter ordisturbing the other needles, and round the projection B extends anelastic band, b, or a detachable hoop, which, by bearing against theends of the levers, prevents the same from becoming detached from therod e during the operation of the machine. At the inner end of eachlever is permanently secured an ordinary self-acting7 knittingneedle, e.In the under side of the projection B is an annular recess for thereception of the annular plate D, secured to or forming a part of theframe E, which is arranged to revolve on the central pin, a. The upperedge of the plate D is of the zigzag form represented in Fig. 3. To theframe E is secured the bracket F, which extends beyond the edge and overthe top of the annular projection B, and to the top of this bracket issecured the outer end of a spring-plate, G, the inner end of the saidplate being bent at right angles downward in front of the inner face ofthe projection B, and the bent portion having a pin, H, which carriesthe presser-wheel I. To the inner end of the bracket F is secured ascrew-stud, J, which projects through the spring-plate G, and isprovided with a nut, K, the latter bearing on the upper edge of thespring-plate and serving to depress the same.

It should be understood that, although I have shown a small section onlyof the machine and but one presser-wheel, I, there are in the completemachine as many presserwheels as there are depressions y in the edge ofthe plate D, Fig. 3, and that there are as many thread-guides as thereare presserwheels, these guides, which may be of the ordinaryconstruction, being carried by the brackets F.

As the annular plate D and the presserwheel I are carried round with theplateE in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, the levers C arealternately raised by the elevated portions of the cam-plate anddepressed by the presserwheels, a reciprocating motion in the are of acircle being thus imparted to the needles c, the latter acting upon thethreads and producing a circular-knitted fabric in a manner too wellunderstood by those familiar with knitting-machines of this class toneed description.

In order to produce a fabric of a variegated or plaid pattern, Isubstitute for one or more of the plain presser-wheels I serrated wheelsI', similar to that shown in Fig. 4, the projections m of which serve todepress certain of the levers C, while the depressions n permit othersof the levers to remain'in an elevated position, the action of theneedles being by this means so modiiied that a great variety ot' plaidand spotted fabrics eau be produced, the pattern being rendered moreelaborate by the use ot' threads of different colors and by wheels Iwith projections differently arranged.

of which is permanently secured a self-acting needle, c, in combinationwith the annular plate D, its zigzag edge, and the presser- Wheels I,the Whole being arranged and operating as set forth.

2. The combination ot' the said vibrating levers and self-aeting needleswith a serrated presser-Wheel and the said annular plate with its zigzagedge, for the purpose specilied.

` In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

THOMAS HAWTHORNE.

Vitnesses J oi-IN WHITE, OHARLEs llowsoN.

